Independent consulting · Melbourne / Naarm

Strategy, engagement and implementation for more equitable communities and places.

Soft Infrastructure works with local government, community organisations and built-environment practitioners to turn complex priorities into practical action.

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Services

Specialist support connecting evidence, community knowledge and organisational priorities with implementation.

01

Strategy, policy and implementation

For organisations developing, reviewing or putting a policy or strategy into practice.

  • Policy and strategy development
  • Action plans and implementation frameworks
  • Governance, monitoring and evaluation
  • Gender impact assessments
  • Independent policy and program reviews
  • Briefing papers and decision resources
02

Community engagement and co-design

For projects requiring meaningful participation from communities, stakeholders or people with lived experience.

  • Engagement and co-design strategies
  • Stakeholder mapping and participation planning
  • Interviews, workshops and consultation
  • Inclusive and trauma-informed engagement
  • Engagement with culturally diverse communities
  • Findings reports and recommendations
03

Place-based research and social infrastructure

For councils, community organisations and built-environment practitioners seeking to understand local conditions, needs and social impacts.

  • Community needs and demographic analysis
  • Social infrastructure and service mapping
  • Policy and place analysis
  • Site-based and qualitative research
  • Stakeholder interviews
  • Evidence for planning, design and investment
04

Facilitation and project delivery

For organisations that need an independent facilitator or experienced practitioner to move complex work forward.

  • Strategic and cross-organisational workshops
  • Project scoping and implementation planning
  • Partnership and stakeholder coordination
  • Program design and evaluation
  • Organisational change workshops
  • Project governance, reporting and risk management

Specialist areas Housing and homelessness, gender equity, community wellbeing, social infrastructure, inclusion and place-based policy.

About

Policy knowledge grounded in practical delivery.

Soft Infrastructure is led by Alisha Abate, a strategy, policy and community development practitioner with more than 10 years of experience across local government, community development, social policy, arts and place-based practice.

Her work spans housing and homelessness, community wellbeing, gender equity, inclusive engagement, social infrastructure and organisational planning. Alisha combines policy expertise with practical experience leading multidisciplinary projects, working across government and community sectors, and translating research and lived experience into implementable action.

View Alisha’s LinkedIn profile ↗

Selected experience

Examples of work led and delivered within local government and in partnership with community and sector stakeholders.

Housing and homelessness

Development and implementation of a ten-year municipal homelessness strategy, supported by lived-experience engagement, sector partnerships and an action framework.

Integrated council planning

Integration of municipal health and wellbeing priorities into council planning, connecting legislative obligations, organisational governance and practical delivery.

Gender equity

Leadership and advice supporting gender impact analysis, organisational capability and more equitable approaches to policy, programs and services.

How I work

Rigorous enough for organisational decisions. Practical enough to implement.

UnderstandBuild a shared picture through evidence, organisational knowledge and lived experience.

Work togetherMake participation purposeful, inclusive and appropriate to the people involved.

DeliverTranslate insight into priorities, responsibilities and workable next steps.

Ways to work together

Support can be tailored to a defined piece of work or provided at key stages of a larger project.

Get in touch

Need support with a strategy, engagement process or place-based project?

Share the issue, timeframe and support you need. I will respond with an initial assessment and recommended next step.

Discuss a project ↗

Melbourne / Naarm · Available for projects across Australia